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Friday, 19 February 2016

Review: A Healing Spirit by Melissa A. Hanson!

Thank you so much to the author for sending me a review copy of this novel.

A Healing Spirit is the second book in the Riverview Series by Melissa A. Hanson, A Healing Heart being the first one (read my review here). While it has nothing to do with the first novel, I would recommend reading them in order since most characters where introduced in the first book. Also, getting to see the author improving her writing skills is a very enjoyable and satisfactory thing to do.

SUMMARY AND SPOILER-FREE REVIEW:

In this book we follow Mia, the beautiful and full of energy girl who gets in an unfortunate skiing accident.

Dylan, a ski patrol who helped saving her life, can't seem to stop thinking about her. Driving up and down the mountain to check on her and keep his job, Dylan feels more and more attracted to her as time passes.

With a very troubled past threatening his present, Dylan will find his walls being shattered by Mia.

Will their connection be strong enough to overcome a fistful of drama and pain?

I was surprised when I started reading this story, because even though it followed the author's style, it was different: more mature and better done.

I liked this second novel better than the first one, that is for sure. Not just because I noticed an improvement in the writing, but because somehow I felt close to the story, and really, really liked it.

Yes, these novels are full of drama, maybe too much for their length, but I think they would be boring otherwise. Moreover, I actually really love dramatic stories.

My big problem with this book (and in the first one as well, even more) is how extremely cheesy it can be at some points. I don't mind the insta-love, I actually enjoyed this one. I just don't really like when characters are that cheesy and remind each other how in love they are every two seconds. I get they are in love, but it made me zone out while reading because of how tiring and boring it was.

I totally liked this book because of its story. There was something very believable (the fact that it was based on a real fact, maybe) that kept me reading. However, the back story, Dylan's past, was absolutely devastating and what brought emotion to the story.

I cried, I am not going to lie, when I got to know his whole story.

Now that I think of it, the book wouldn't have been as good hadn't it been for Dylan's messed up past. Not to mention how cute and charming he was.

I am going to be honest: after reading this book, I feel really indifferent about Bailey and Collin (main characters from A Healing Heart), and I found myself disliking their presence. No one beats them at being cheesy.

By the end of the book, I felt very tense and into the story because of how it all was narrated. I literally saw that scene as if I was watching a movie. It is probably the best scene Melissa has ever written. The woods, the storm approaching... Great scene.